CORE 4: BIOSTATISTICS AND EPIDEMIOLOGY ABSTRACT The Biostatistics and Epidemiology Resource Core (BERC) will provide biostatistical and epidemiological support for 11 NEI funded investigators. The BERC will provide consulting services on study design and suitable analytic plans for a wide range of experimental basic science and translational research. The biostatistician will conduct appropriate statistical analyses, provide power/sample size calculations and assist users in responding to reviewers' comments about statistical methodological issues. The aim of this service is to enhance the research activities of the projects using this core by providing additional biostatistical support to complete data analyses efficiently, increase the number of publications, decrease the turn-around time responding to reviewers' comments, and extend the impact of the funded projects by supporting ancillary studies. We will also assist other investigators, principally new investigators, in generating materials for NEI R01 grants as time permits.